(INDIANAPOLIS) - An elderly man is recovering this morning after being assaulted and robbed on the city's east side.

It's a time when people in the city are already on edge when it comes to crime. Now, a 79-year-old man just trying to get some gas ends up the victim of violence. Police say he pulled into this Shell gas station shortly after two this morning. As he was finishing and getting ready to leave, a man approached him, got in the car with him and forced the elderly man to drive.

That drive didn't last long, about two blocks west on Washington before police say the suspect made the driver get out of the car. There was a struggle and police say the suspect grabbed the man by the neck and punched him in the top of the head cutting him. The suspect took off with the man's wallet and car. The man walked a couple more blocks along Washington to this Speedway at State Ave. where he called police. Because of the man's age, police called an ambulance and had him taken to the hospital to get checked out and get treated for the minor head wound.

Now, police are searching for the suspect and the victim's car. The car is described as a Red Honda Civic. No good description on the suspect yet. But, there are surveillance cameras here and police hope they will shed some light on who's responsible for this attack. Police are calling this a robbery and assault and not a carjacking. They say a weapon was never shown and that's the distinguishing factor. If you have any tips that could help lead to the suspect, you're asked to call Crime Stoppers at 262-TIPS.